'I feel lost', woman subjected to vicious assault by ex tells Cork court
The court heard the woman was punched and struck, including in the face, that the man began choking the woman and she became dizzy. File picture
A woman subjected to a serious assault by her then-partner has said "I feel lost. What happened has changed my life completely."
The case, heard at Bandon District Court, saw a man plead guilty to assault causing harm to his partner at the home they shared in Innishannon, Co Cork, and to a breach of a subsequent interim barring order.
The man also argued, through his solicitor, that he, his then-partner, and her friend, had previously been intimate with each other and this was one of the causes of conflict at the time of the incident.
Judge James McNulty read out extracts from the woman's victim impact statement, which he described as "harrowing" and in which she outlined the effects of the assault last June.
Judge McNulty also referred to a medical report which showed the woman had bruises to her upper and lower limbs and her trunk, with scratches on her neck, arms, breast and buttocks, and that the woman had presented as shaking, upset and distressed.
The court heard the woman had reported the attack to gardaí on June 26 last, detailing how the man had come home at 6pm and, in the context of the couple having been asked to leave the house, they began a conversation about their relationship. The court heard words were exchanged and the woman went into the bedroom, at which point the assault began.
The court heard she was punched and struck, including in the face, that the man began choking the woman and she became dizzy. He followed her when she went into another room, kicking in the door, and then punched her again into her side.
The woman later secured an interim barring order and was staying with a friend, but when she returned to the house to retrieve some items she discovered the bed had been slept in and food prepared. When she returned later, the man's car was outside and gardaí later found him in the premises, in breach of the order.
In her victim impact statement, she said she was taking anti-depressants and had suffered panic attacks and was barely eating. Her mother had to come to help her and she said: "I feel lost.
"I am afraid of people and always looking over my shoulder.
"I can't sleep because I have nightmares." She said she was seeing a psychologist and said: "I don't know how to deal with this."
The man's solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, said the barring order had been secured ex parte and his client hadn't known about it. Once he became aware of it, he left the property.
Mr Taaffe also said of a friend referred to by the woman that all three "were intimate with each other – there are issues arising from that aspect", and that this, as well as the house, was the context for the argument.
Mr Taaffe said the man admitted the assault but not catching the woman by the throat. The man had no previous convictions and the court heard nothing similar had happened in the eight-year relationship, which is now over.
Judge McNulty convicted the man and said the situation was so serious he had considered refusing jurisdiction. He ordered a probation report before finalising sentencing on November 15 next.
"Domestic violence is a serious problem in Irish society," he said. "The matter is being taken seriously by An Garda Síochána and by the courts."
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